Moving Forward
by GrissomGal22
Summary: Shut down by Grissom once again, Sara is hurting and someone helps her through it. NS Chapter 5 up!
1. Default Chapter

Sara Sidle woke to the sound of her alarm clock beeping loudly. She looked at the clock and reluctantly rose from bed, looking around her empty room. Her bed was large and it seemed to her that it was too big for just one person. She found herself once again thinking of her supervisor, Gil Grissom for it seemed the millionth time that week. She didn't understand why he couldn't take a moment to see what was so blatantly staring him straight in the face. She had loved him for what seemed forever and she wanted nothing more than to hit him over the head with a microscope just to make him see that she was there. Waiting. Sara grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to take a hot shower. She divested herself of her standard sleepwear, boxers and a t-shirt, and stepped into the steaming shower.

As she stood under the scalding water she turned her face upward and let the water cascade down over her skin. Suddenly she thought of the conversation she had had with Grissom the night before and began to cry.

The Day Before:

" Hey Gris, can we talk?"

"Sure Sara just let me finish this report really quick. How'd your case go tonight?"

"We solved it. it turns out it was the boyfriend. He found Ms. Baker cheating on him with his best friend and he went crazy. I don't understand how people can get to the point where they can kill."

"It's not our job to understand Sara. We just-"

"-Follow the evidence. I know." She said with a gap-toothed grin.

Grissom returned her smile as he finished his report. He put it away and then looked back up to where she was standing.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked her.

" I was actually wondering if you wanted to get breakfast after shift ends? You get off when I do right?"

Grissom looked awkwardly at the floor before he looked back up to her with a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry Sara but Sophia and I already made plans to go out after the shift."

Looking hurt Sara replied, "Okay. Maybe some other time."

" Sara are you okay?"

The concern in Grissom's voice made her sick to her stomach. She wished that he could just be cruel and not turn into the man she loved after he had shot her down.

"No Grissom. I'm not okay. I'm so tired of you leading me along and then just when I start to think that maybe there is something between us, you go and tell me that you're going out with Sophia! I'm tired of it Grissom and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

"Sara I-"

"No! No more! I'm not a puppet you can yank around! I'm so tired of it. From now on we're colleagues and nothing more. When you decide what you want, then we'll talk. Good bye."

She had walked out of Grissom's office without so much as a backward glance. She didn't have to see his face to know that there was a look of confusion etched into his handsome features.

Sara turned off the water in the shower and stepped out to dry herself off. She got dressed and blow dried her hair before going to the kitchen to make some dinner. She opened her refrigerator and pulled out some left over Chinese food from the night before. She sniffed it before deeming it okay to eat and popped it in the microwave. Just as she hit the start button there was a knock at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Sara walked to the door of her apartment and looked out the peep hole to see who was outside the door. Although she was depressed about the Grissom situation, a huge smile broke out across her face as she realized who was outside. She opened the door to see her fellow CSI and best friend Nick Stokes standing there with a grocery bag and a smile from ear to ear.

"Nicky! What are you doing here?" she said taking in the bag that was overflowing with goodies galore.

"Well, I thought I would come over before the shift and make you dinner. I knew that you probably would be having leftover Chinese and judging from the smell of the apartment I was right."

Sara grinned at his comment and playfully punched him in the shoulder after she took the bag from him and shut the door behind him.

"Smart ass." Suddenly she became suspicious as to why he really came over. Nick saw the look on her face and new what was coming. " Nick, why are you here?"

"Now Sara, don't get mad at me but I saw you in the locker room last night crying and I know it probably had something to do with everybody's favorite supervisor so I thought I would come over with dinner and ice cream. You love my stuffed eggplant and you know it. It always makes you feel better."

"Oh Nick. You didn't have to do that."

"Yes I did. You're my friend and you're hurting and I just want to make it better."

"But-"

"No buts!" Nick interrupted. "Let me do this. I want to." The look on Nick's face combined with his soft Texas drawl that was always much more pronounced when he was serious made Sara drop the subject and smile.

"Thanks Nick."

"No problem. Lead me to the kitchen!"

Sara led Nick into the small kitchen in her apartment and started getting out everything Nick needed to make his famous (well, to her anyway) stuffed eggplant. As they waited for the meal to be finished, Nick took out three pints of Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

"Yeesh Nick! I'm not going to be able to eat that much ice cream!" Sara exclaimed looking wide eyed at the ice cream containers.

"Yeah, well, they're not just for you. You forget. It's my favorite ice cream too." he said with his goofy trade mark grin.

Sara couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.

"Well, the eggplant smell good and done. Ready to eat?" Nick smiled at her and asked her,

"Am I ever not ready to eat?"

"Good point." Sara laughed as they got plates and drinks to go with their meal. They had easy conversation as they ate and before they knew it, it was time to go to work.

Nick and Sara walked out to Nick's car and began the short drive to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Criminalistics Lab. As they neared the lab, Nick noticed that Sara was fidgeting restlessly in the passengers seat.

"Sara? Are you okay?"

"What? Oh! Yeah I'm fine." At Nick's disbelieving look Sara fidgeted a little more before saying, "Okay, I'm nervous."

"Why? Is this about what happened with Grissom yesterday?"

"Yeah. We had an argument. Well, I yelled at him. He just sat there. Like always." Sara looked out the window and seemed to be lost in her own thoughts again.

"Sara are you going to be okay? I could call and tell Grissom you're sick and you don't have to go in today. We could play hooky!"

"No. I have to face him sometime. Might as well be now." Nick nodded his head as they turned into the staff parking lot of the LVMPD. They sat in the car for a few minutes before Sara looked at Nick with a nervous smile on her face.

"Okay. I'm ready."


	3. Chapter 3

As Nick and Sara walked into the lab, the fear coming off of Sara in waves was palpable and Nick found himself becoming more than a little nervous himself. They walked up to the front desk and signed their names on the registrar. Walking down the halls was what Sara imagined it must feel like for a man fated to receive lethal injection taking that long last walk. As the pair neared Grissom's office, Nick felt Sara tense. He grabbed his hand to calm her and she looked up at him with a uneasy but thankful smile.

As they rounded the corner to go to the conference room they nearly bumped into Grissom. He seemed surprised to have seen them there as if he hadn't expected Sara to even show up for the shift after their confrontation. After a few minutes of staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity, Grissom broke eye contact with Sara and looked at the floor. As his eyes traveled downward, he stopped short when he saw Sara and Nick's interlaced fingers. He snapped his head up so fast that it startled the couple before him. He looked at Sara once more with a look on his face that resembled what Sara thought looked like betrayal. After a few more tense moments, Grissom finally recovered his seemingly lost ability to speak.

"Assignments in the conference room in ten minutes. We've got a busy night tonight. It's possible we'll all be pulling doubles."

Nick cleared his throat and spoke for both of them.

"Okay. We'll be in there in a few minutes . We just have to stop by the locker room to get our kits."

Grissom looked at Sara who confirmed Nick's statement with a stiff nod of her head. She had yet to say anything and she felt like if she opened her mouth she would start crying before she could get any words out. Nick seemed to sense this so he steered her down the hall toward the locker room leaving Grissom behind looking very morose.

The moment they opened the doors to the locker room Sara burst into tears. She didn't care if there was anyone in there as long as it wasn't Grissom. She sat down on one of the benches and began sobbing so hard that her whole body shook. Nick sat down beside her and pulled her onto his lap. She clung to his shirt as sobs wracked her form. After a few moments she calmed down enough to speak and let go of Nick's shirt that was drenched with tears.

"I'm sorry Nick. I kind of freaked out there." Sara said. She looked so ashamed that she lost her cool in front of a co-worker. She knew that Nick was not just her co-worker but her friend as well but it didn't make her feel any better about losing it.

"Hey Sar. It's no problem. I'm here for you always. You know that. So this thing with Grissom is more than just a stupid argument isn't it?"

"Way bigger than that. I asked him out again. He didn't just refuse though this time. He told me that he had a date with Sophia." The disdain in Sara's voice was so apparent that Nick almost flinched. He had never seen her so emotional. He gave her a hug hoping to reassure her. He didn't understand why Grissom was being so dense. Why couldn't he see what a great person Sara was? Sometimes the man made him want to punch him for being so thick.

"I just don't get why he doesn't want me. Am I that repulsive?" She said it with so much hurt in her voice that Nick wanted to harm the person that had caused her so much pain.

"No Sara! Grissom is just blind. He has never been ever to see what is in front of his face. This is no different. It's not you, it's him."

"Thanks Nick."

"Hey. What are friends for?"

"Getting me coffee?" Nick laughed out loud.

"Sure. Why not? Lets go commandeer Greg's Blue Hawaiian.

"Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you to the couple of people who submitted reviews. I find them really helpful especially considering this is my first fic. Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter up. I was having a problem deciding where to go with it. Thanks again!**

Nick and Sara walked down the hallway toward the conference room once again this time making it there without incident. When they entered they noticed that Warrick, Catherine, and Greg were already there waiting. Catherine looked up when she heard them come in. She noticed Sara's tear-stained face and her mother side came out.

"Hey Sara, are you okay?" she asked with concern evident in her features. "You look like you've been crying."

"I'm okay Cath. Just some personal stuff." Nick placed a hand on her back reassuringly and she looked up at him with gratitude. Nick guided her over to the coffee maker and poured her a cup of Greg's special coffee. Everyone took in Nick's protective manner around Sara with knowing glances all around. Even Greg didn't complain about them stealing his coffee. Nick turned around in time to see Warrick and Catherine staring at them with identical smug looks on their faces. However, when confronted with a death stare from Nick they went back to pretending not to notice Nick's protective schtick. Just then Grissom walked in. Without any formalities he went straight to work.

"Okay people we have a long night ahead of us. Catherine, you've got a B&E at a hotel room at the Monaco. Warrick you go with Catherine. Nick and Sara you've got a DB found in a ditch off the I-15. I'm going to stay here and finish up the Jones case from last night. Greg, why don't you go with Catherine and Warrick. For some reason I thought there was more."

"You got it boss."

"Okay people lets get started. The quicker these cases are solved the quicker we can go home." with that he walked out of the room without so much as a good bye. Everyone looked around at eachother with stricken looks on their faces. They were used to Grissom's mood swings but this was worse than usual. Knowing this probably had something to do with what happened earlier Nick passed Sara a smile trying to reassure her. She returned his smile with a weak one of her own.

"You ready?" she asked

"Sure am. Let's go." As they walked out of the room they heard Greg whining.

"Catherine! That's my coffee!"

Sara and Nick got out of Nick's car and walked towards Brass who was looking into the ditch where they assumed the body was.

"Okay guys here we go. Couple of lovebirds making out in a truck a couple hours ago we're interupted by a man pounding on their window screaming for help. They got out of the car to help him because he looked really screwed up but before they could get to him he dropped dead. Just like that."

"Just like that huh? Why do I doubt it was that simple?" Nick asked

"Probably because it's not." Sara responded with a grin. Nick was relieved to see her smile after the Grissom incident and smiled in return.

"Ready to get started? What do you want? Perimeter or witnesses?"

"I'll take the witnesses. That okay with you?" Sara asked

"Sounds good to me. Let's do it!"

They split up and went to do they're respective duties. Sara walked over to the couple who were giving their names to a uniform.

"Hi. I'm Sara Sidle. I'm with the Crime Lab. I just need to ask you a few questions about tonights events. Can you tell me what happened?"

The man spoke up first. "Hi. Rob Phillips. We were just hanging out in my truck when this guy comes up and starts pounding on the window screaming at us to help him. We got out of the car and before we could get to him he just fell down dead.

"It was really creepy." the woman said.

"And you are?" Sara asked her.

"Lisa Daniels. It was the weirdest thing. Hea didn't look beat up or anything. Just really scared.

"Okay. Thanks. We might need to talk to you down at the station later so keep your schedules clear okay?" Recieving nods of the affirmative she walked back over to Nick. "You almost done?" she asked.

"Yup. Just let me get this last fiber here and we're done."

Nick and Sara drove back to the Lab to finish out their shifts. They dropped off the fiber at trace before heading to Doc Robbins to see about the body. As they entered the morgue they were greeted by Robbins and David.

"So Doc, what do we have here?" Nick asked him.

"Heart attack. I'm not sure if it was drug induced or anything yet. That will come to light with the tox report. But basically you vic died of cardiac arrest."

"Okay. Well let us know when you get that tox report back okay?"

"I always do."

"Thanks Doc."

Sara and Nick exited the morge and went back to the lab. They finished the shift without running into Grissom which was a huge relief to Sara. She was tired of crying so much and she knew if she saw Grissom the waterworks would start up again. When shift ended, Nick and Sara signed out and went out to Nick's car. They ride back to Sara's house was quiet but comfortable as both of them were lost in their own thoughts. When they pulled up outside Sara's house, they atmosphere became slightly more tense as they approached saying goodbye. Nick had been reflecting on his growing feelings for Sara on th ride to her house and Sara seemed to sense that something was different.

"So... um thanks for the ride. Do you want to come in for some coffee or something?"

"Sure. That would be great." They walked up to her door and she let them in. She went to the kitchen to set up the coffee maker. Nick took his jacket off and laid it on a chair in her small dining room. Sara came out of they kitchen with two cups of coffee and led Nick to her sofa in the livingroom. After a few moments of awkward silence, Sara looked at Nick and asked him,

"What is going on here?" At Nicks surprised and confused look she elaborated. "You have been nothing but wonderful to me today and I can't thank you enough for that but the moment we're alone together you clam up. What's up with that Nick?"

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little confused about some things and I don't know how to address them without sounding like I'm taking advantage or something." At first Sara didn't understand what he was talking about but when he looked up and locked eyes with her she immediately understood.

"Oh."

"See? I knew I shouldn't have said anything because now it's going to be weird between us and I don't-"

Nick was cut off by Sara's lips softly touching his. It took him a moment to comprehend what was going on but when he did he returned the kiss with abandon. As their lips slid over eachother, Nick brought his hand up to Sara's head and touched his tongue to her lips seeking entrance. Sara complied and they spent the next few minutes memorizing the contours of eachothers mouths breaking apart only to breathe. Sara ran her hands over Nick's chest and arm trying to commit his entire body to memory using just her hands. As they finally broke apart after what seemed a lifetime, all they could do was stare at eachother in awe.

"Wow." was all either could say.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey! finally uploaded a new chapter! sorry it took so long! things have been a little crazed. Thanks so much for the reviews and enjoy!**

Sara and Nick just sat there on Sara's couch for what seemed like an eternity just staring into each other's eyes. Neither of them had expected their relationship to take this kind of turn and weren't sure where they should go from there. Before either of them could say anything, however, someone knocked on Sara's door. Sara snapped out of her trance and went to the door. When she opened the door , the last person she expected to be there was Gil Grissom with flowers.

"Grissom. What are you doing here?" Grissom looked at Sara with a shy look on his face and held out the flowers.

"These are for you. I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted tonight. I don't want to lose your friendship and I wanted to know if you wanted to go to breakfast?"

"I'm sorry Grissom. I can't go. I have company." Just then Nick called from the living room.

"Sar? Who is it?" When Grissom heard Nick call from the other room, he looked at Sara, surprised.

"Nick? Nick is your company?" It seemed then that he just noticed her disheveled appearance. He took in her flushed skin and her kiss bruised lips and it connected. Nick walked up behind Sara to see Grissom standing in the doorway. When he saw the hurt look on Grissom's face, he realized what he and Sara must look like.

"Uh, Griss-"

"No, Nick. I'm happy for you. Really. You can give her what I couldn't." With that he handed Sara the flowers and walked away. Sara stood frozen at the door wit Nick for a few moments before she tensed up and slammed the door with enough force to make Nick flinch. Nick prepared himself for a famous Sara Sidle- tirade and was surprised when all she said was " damn him" and sat down on the couch.

"Sara? Are you okay? If you want to go after him I'll understand" Sara looked up in surprise and shook her head violently.

"No Nick!" she said vehemently. " I'm just angry because just when I realize that I can be happy with someone other that him, he shows up like he wants to make us work. Then he sees you and acts like I betrayed him or something. No. I don't want to go after him. I don't want him anymore. I want you. At this Nick smile so big it lit up the room and he picked Sara up and spun her around. When he sat her down, she looked up at him with her gap-toothed grin and reached up to pull his face down to kiss him. They stood like that for a long time just enjoying the nearness of each other. After a while, they both realized the heat emanating from each other and had to pull apart. They were both breathing heavily and when Sara looked into Nick's eyes, she was startled to see the desire so blatantly shining through. "Nick?" she said nervously. "I'm kind of tired. It was a long shift" Nick looked a little disappointed , but he nodded his head at her.

"Okay. I understand. I'll just go home so you can rest and I'll pick you up for work later okay?"

"No!" At the look of hurt on Nick's face, Sara amended. "I mean, you don't have to go… you have a change of clothes in your truck right?" When he nodded, she said, "I'm tired but I don't want you to leave. We could just sleep in my bed." At this comment, Nick's eyes noticeably darkened. When Sara saw this, her breathing became labored. She laughed nervously. "Just sleep okay?" Nick nodded his head.

"I'll just go get my clothes from the truck okay?" Sara nodded and Nick went down to get his clothes.

**5 reviews and I'll update. I have the next chapter written I just have to type it up and upload it!**


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